Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1887-06-25
An OPEN LETTER 10 FARMERS,
Let Us Stop the Prairie Fires.

Let Us Stop the fralflc F1reS.
The rayages wrought on crops, pasture
and domestic animals by prairie fires
during the fall OF 1885 and last spring
probably exceeded anything as far as the
necuniary loss is concerned, that ever be-
fore befell this section of the country
from the same cause. Timber Of 6 to
wears standing was burned up entirely,
numerous COWS were badly burned and
died from their injuries, hogs were killed,
barns and haystacks on which farmers
depended for protection and feed for their
cattle were consumed in flames, and had
it not been for the mild winter and spring
MANY cattle would have died from the
subsequent exposure. These are some of
the direct effects Of these fires, that
spread SO rapidly in the buffalo grass.
Hereby it comes that the seed OF the blue
grass is destroyed, which would other
wise spread rapidly over the whole
country and render farming as we'll as
stock raising much more PORTABLE, and
the soil is deteriorated, being deprived of
its natural regenerating agent, the rotten
grasses from previous years.
Now, that this country is nearly half
settled and prices on real estate are daily
rising, it is poor economy to let this mat
ter alone. Through checking these fires
we can accelerate the complete settling
of this country, insure ourselves against
heavy losses, reduce the acreage now
needed for pasture to a minimum, cut our
hay on our own farm, and IN three years
raise the selling value of farms to double
what it is now, because the only valid
objection that farmers from the cast can
offer against purchasing and settling on
land in this country is the scarcity of hay
and pasture outside of buffalo grass,
which latter is Improbable except on the
free range.
In order to prevent fires in the future,
1 propose that the farmers in each con-
gressional township cooperate in the
following manner: The township clerk
calls meeting of all farmers within one
congressional township, his summons
containing the request that each farmer
be prepared to state where on his farm
blowing has been done and the width
and location of his individual fre-breaks.
When the meeting convenes the township
clerk brings along few township plats,
and marks thereon all the blowing, fire.
breaks and all in the township. On the
plat thus produced it is easy to indicate
the lines where further blowing should
be done in order to divide the township
into as many fields as possible, each one
protected by blowing and fire-breaks of
sufficient width, and it is easy to find out
just how many miles of new breaking
must be done to protect the whole town.
ship, and knowing the number of farm
ers, to allot to each one of them the work
he has to do for his own and everybody
else's benefit. From my knowledge of
the country this method will entail very
little work in excess of what now each
farmer must do for his own individual
self, and it will afford tentold greater pro-
lection, besides the good worked to the
country generally.
It is hardly necessary to emphasize to
any one resident of this country that what
makes prairie fires at the present time so
devastating is their long sweep; they may
originate ten miles from here and yet
reach us. Dividing the township into
protected fields of say l or 2 square miles
each, reduces in itself the chance of fire
getting near to you in exact proportion
to the acreage of vacant land now joining
you to the acreage of vacant land within
the nearest fre-breaks that would join
you under the new system. Besides, it
would be 80 very much easier to fight
any fire that might originate inside one
of the protected fields for knowing its
natural limits. It is my proposition that
this be done at once, and that in such
townships as those north and northwest
of Ellis where settlement is scarce, as yet,
the aid of the village inhabitants is So
licited. The fire came nigh burning up
the village of Ellis last spring; it is Ger
tainly in their interest, in many ways, to
contribute to the work.
Yours truly,
NJ. G. KRARUP,
Fills Ropooc